Department for Transport

Shipping: Carbon Emissions

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to contribute to accelerating the decarbonisation of the maritime industry; and whether they expect to contribute to this initiative through (1) the UK Infrastructure Bank, or (2) alternative means.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: To support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, Government is investing £20 million in a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. This competition will support the UK design and development of clean maritime technologies as part of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Launched on 22 March 2021, this programme builds on the vision set out in the Department’s Clean Maritime Plan and underlines our commitment to addressing emissions from this sector. Further plans for the decarbonisation of the maritime sector will be set out in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which will be published this spring.The UK Infrastructure Bank’s core objectives are to help tackle climate change, particularly meeting our net zero emissions target by 2050, and to support regional and local economic growth through better connectedness, opportunities for new jobs and higher levels of productivity. The Bank will be operationally independent and will invest to meet these objectives.

Department of Health and Social Care

Hospitals: Parking

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that NHSkey workers are exempt from hospital car parking charges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: Free car parking for National Health Service staff was announced on 25 March 2020 for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. This remains the Government’s position and funding has been provided to trusts to support this commitment.Since October 2020, additional funding for the delivery of free staff parking is included as part of trusts’ overall systems allocation. The system funding allocation guidance provided to trusts sets out that money for free staff car parking is provided. A copy of Guidance on finance and contracting arrangements for H1 2021/22 is attached.Guidance on finance and contracting arrangements  (pdf, 182.6KB)

Department for Education

Department for Education: Reviews

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many review groups are currently established in the Department for Education, and (2) what areas they cover.

Baroness Berridge: The department has a number of current review groups including: the review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and call for evidence at level 2 and below; the independent review of children’s social care; the review of provisions for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities; and the initial teacher training market review. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has also recently asked Ofsted to undertake an immediate review into sexual abuse across state and independent schools.

Teachers: Training

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) on what date they established the Review Group into Initial Teacher Training, (2) what is the membership of the Review Group panel, and (3) how the Review Group plan to (a) take evidence, and (b) consult on its findings.

Baroness Berridge: The department is making England the best place in the world to become a great teacher through giving every teacher access to world-class training and professional development opportunities throughout their career. Reforms to teacher training and early career support are key to the government’s plans to improve school standards for all.The review is focusing on how the initial teacher training (ITT) sector can provide consistently high-quality training, in line with the Core Content Framework (CCF), in a more efficient and effective market. The review is led by Ian Bauckham, chief executive officer (CEO) of Tenax Schools Trust and Chair of Oak National Academy. The review was announced, along with the Chair and expert group, on 2 January 2021.The expert group support the Chair with gathering evidence and shaping recommendations. The department has appointed the following individuals to provide a cross-section of knowledge and expertise:Professor Samantha Twiselton, Director of Sheffield Institute of Education – Sheffield Hallam UniversityRichard Gill, Chair of the Teaching Schools Council, CEO of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership and Lead Ofsted inspectorReuben Moore, Executive Director of Programme Development – Teach FirstJohn Blake, Head of Public Affairs and Engagement – ArkThe expert group are reviewing the available evidence on ITT, which includes published research commissioned by the department, as well as wider evidence from the sector. Department analysts, including social researchers, are feeding into the review to ensure that the evidence is interpreted accurately and will be used to inform any recommendations. As we did with the CCF and Early Career Framework, the review is considering international evidence alongside evidence from UK ITT markets.Initially, the review team are conducting early work to better understand the issues and shape the direction of the work. They have held discussions with ITT representatives including the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers at this initial stage, with broader engagement planned from late spring.

National Tutoring Programme: Vetting

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the safeguarding requirements for tutors working with children on the National Tutoring Programme.

Baroness Berridge: The safeguarding of children and young people is paramount to the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), and we have worked closely with our delivery partners to ensure that robust safeguarding processes are in place across both pillars of the NTP.Safeguarding was fully assessed as part of the application process with detailed due diligence checks carried out for potential tuition partners ahead of agreements being entered, and ongoing monitoring throughout the lifetime of the grant. The assessment carried out as part of the application focused on five broad areas: Safeguarding Policy and Procedures; Safeguarding Training and Development; Organisational Structure and Governance; Safe Recruitment Policies and Procedures; and Specific Practices for Online Tuition. We take safeguarding seriously and we have robust processes in place before and during the delivery of the NTP. To date, no safeguarding incidents have been reported by schools in the programme.Individual tuition partners are responsible for managing their own safeguarding policies and procedures, with oversight from the Education Endowment Foundation to ensure processes remain robust and required standards are met. However, all tutors are required to be enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service and Barred list checked (or equivalent for international tutors), and complete appropriate safeguarding training to work on this programme.

Children in Care

Lord Russell of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Practice guidance: placements in unregistered children’s homes in England or unregistered care home services in Wales, published on 12 November 2019; and, in the light of that guidance, whether it is permissible for a child on remand to be (1) placed, and (2) detained, in unregulated accommodation.

Baroness Berridge: The practice guidance: Placements in unregistered children’s homes in England or unregistered care home services in Wales was developed and issued by the President of the Family Division of the courts, with input from Ofsted and the Department for Education. This guidance sets out steps that must be followed in circumstances where courts use their inherent jurisdiction to authorise a residential placement where restrictions are placed on the liberty of a child.The guidance makes clear that where a child’s care needs are such that the setting in which they are placed should be registered as a children’s home, steps must immediately be taken by those operating the unit to apply for registration, so that the placement will become regulated as soon as possible. The guidance also requires the court to monitor the progress of the application for registration and, if registration is not achieved, to review its continued approval of the child’s placement where necessary.The government is clear that local authorities have statutory duties to meet the needs of the children whom they look after, and to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation. Where settings meet the definition of a children's home, they must register as one: it is an offence not to do so.Where a child is remanded to local authority accommodation, they become a looked after child and the designated local authority are responsible for identifying a suitable placement. As long as they remain looked after, these children and young people are entitled to the same care planning and review processes as any other looked after children, including ensuring that they are placed in a setting which meets their needs and keeps them safe.In discharging these duties and making these decisions for children on remand, local authorities must also consider any restrictions that the court has imposed, such as a curfew or electronic monitoring, and ensure that any placement is able to effectively incorporate these restrictions. For many young people, particularly those with more stringent restrictions set by the court, placements in independent and semi-independent provision will not be a suitable option. Local authorities should place young people in settings that best meet their needs while being able to facilitate any restrictions the court has ordered. This could include a placement with foster carers or in a children’s home.Children who are remanded to youth detention accommodation, can be placed in either a Youth Offenders Institution, a Secure Training Centre or a Secure Children’s Home.

Schools: Uniforms

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issueguidelines to independent schools about the cost of school uniforms.

Baroness Berridge: The government is supporting the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) private members’ bill to enable us to issue statutory guidance on the cost of school uniform. The bill does not extend to guidance for independent schools.In choosing an independent school for their child, parents accept and expect certain associated fees, and school uniform costs are something that they need to take into consideration as part of their decision to seek a private education for their child.

Students: Loans

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount of student debt has been sold in each of the past five years; and at what value.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The government has carried out 2 sales of student loans in the past 5 years. The first sale, completed in December 2017, achieved £1.7 billion from a cohort of loans with a face value of £3.5 billion. The second sale, completed in December 2018, achieved £1.9 billion from a cohort of loans with a face value of £3.9 billion.

Students: Loans

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the value of student loan debt for each of the past five years.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: It is not possible to provide the complete information requested within the body of the answer as this would exceed the word limit for responses. Please see the below links to the relevant reports. A copy of these reports will also be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.  The valuation of the loan book is listed in the annual reports on GOV.UK, at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports. The note on loans under the ‘Notes to Accounts’ section lists both the carrying and face value of the loan book. For the 2019-20 annual accounts, the details for the carrying value are on page 195 and the details for the face value of the loan book are on page 202: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/932898/DfE_consolidated_annual_report_and_accounts_2019_to_2020__web_version_.pdf. For the 2018-19 annual accounts, the details for the carrying value are on page 159 and the details for the face value of the loan book are on page 161: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/906353/DfE_Consolidated_annual_report_2018-19_web.pdf. For the 2017-18 annual accounts, the details for the carrying value are on page 147 and the details for the face value of the loan book are on page 148: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/728074/DfE_annual_reports_and_accounts_17_to_18_-_WEB.pdf. For the 2016-17 annual accounts, the details for the carrying value are on page 154 and the details for the face value of the loan book are on page 155: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630523/DfE_Consolidated_annual_report_and_accounts_2016-17_WEB.pdf. For the 2015-16 annual accounts, the details for the carrying value are on page 177 and the details for the face value of the loan book are on page 178: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537425/bis-annual-report-accounts-2015-16-web.pdf.

Students: Loans

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of graduate earnings in their calculation of the write off of student loan debt.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The department’s assessment of the earnings of student loan borrowers takes into account the latest Student Loan Company and Longitudinal Education Outcomes data, plus survey data from the Labour Force Survey and British Household Panel Survey, mortality statistics from the Office for National Statistics and macro-economic forecasts of earnings growth from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The assessment can be accessed here: https://obr.uk/fsr/fiscal-sustainability-report-july-2020/, in the document 'July 2020 Fiscal sustainability report - charts and tables: Chapter 2'. Detailed information on the assessment of graduate earnings is published in the Earnings forecasts section of the Student Loans methodology, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loan-forecasts-england-2019-to-2020, in the document 'Student loan forecasts, England 2019 to 2020: quality and methodology information'. The next update to the student loan forecasts publication is announced for June 2021.

Students: Loans

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what calculation they use to decide the level of write off of student loan debt.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The government publishes its loan write-off rules, available here: https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan/when-your-student-loan-gets-written-off-or-cancelled. We estimate the proportion of loan outlay issued in each financial year that we do not expect to be repaid through a metric called the Resource And Budgeting (RAB) charge.The RAB charge is calculated by taking repayment forecasts for income contingent repayment loans and discounting them back to the period that the loan is issued using the discount rate provided by HM Treasury (currently RPI+0.7%). This gives us a net present value (NPV) of the future repayments and the charge is the relative difference between the loan issued and the NPV of the repayments. Further details of the RAB charge calculation are provided in the annual student loan forecast publication methodology document, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/920992/Student_loan_forecasts_201920.pdf.The RAB charge estimate is determined by earnings and repayment projections over the next 30-40 years, and therefore is inherently uncertain. Forecasts for the RAB charge are published each year, and are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2019-20.

Students: Loans

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the write off value of the sale of student loan debt in each of the last five years.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: A total of £8.1 million has been written off from the sold loan cohorts in the financial years 2016/17 to 2020/21.

Students: Loans

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the UK's departure from the EU, what assessment they have made of the ability of (1) UK citizens to work in the EU, and (2) the earnings potential of graduates, in calculating the write off of student loan debt.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Withdrawal Agreement protects the rights of UK nationals who were lawfully resident in the EU before the end of the transition period, meaning they can continue to live, work, study, and access benefits and services broadly as they did before the UK left the EU. Member states may require a visa and/or work permit from British citizens intending to work or provide a service there.  British citizens should check with the embassy of the country where they plan to travel for work or to provide a service for what type of visa or permit, if any, they will need.Regardless of the UK’s departure from the EU, the assessment of the earnings of student loan borrowers continues to take into account the latest Student Loan Company and Longitudinal Education Outcomes data, plus survey data from the Labour Force Survey and British Household Panel Survey, mortality statistics from the Office for National Statistics and macro-economic forecasts of earnings growth from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The assessment can be accessed here: https://obr.uk/fsr/fiscal-sustainability-report-july-2020/, in the document 'July 2020 Fiscal sustainability report - charts and tables: Chapter 2'. Detailed information on the assessment of graduate earnings is published in the Earnings forecasts section of the Student Loans methodology, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loan-forecasts-england-2019-to-2020, in the document 'Student loan forecasts, England 2019 to 2020: quality and methodology information'. The next update to the student loan forecasts publication is announced for June 2021.

Vocational Education: Employment Schemes

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what schemes are availableto students on vocational courses to assist them in gaining employment.

Baroness Berridge: The ‘Skills for Jobs’ white paper, published in January 2021, sets out our blueprint to reform post-16 education and training. It is focused on giving people the skills they need, in a way that suits them, so they can get great jobs in sectors the economy needs and boost this country’s productivity.Building on the success of our flagship apprenticeships programme, we are putting employers at the heart of the system so education and training meets their needs. By 2030, almost all technical courses will be on employer-led standards, ensuring that the education and training people receive are directly linked to the skills needed for jobs.A range of provision is already available for young people aged 16 to 24 to equip them with the skills and experience they need to progress, including Traineeships, which provide unemployed young people with employability training, work experience, English and maths.We have also launched T Levels, which are a high quality technical alternative to A levels. With longer teaching hours and a meaningful industry placement of minimum 45 days, employer-designed T Levels will be excellent preparation for skilled work or further training.In July 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced a £500 million package of support to ensure young people can access the training, and develop the skills they will need to go on to high-quality, secure, and fulfilling employment including: incentive payments for employers to take on apprentices; tripling the number of Traineeships; and an additional £17 million in the 2020/21 financial year to support an increase in the number of sector-based work academy programme placements. This additional funding will enable unemployed individuals acquire the skills needed for local jobs.The Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced £375 million for the National Skills Fund in the Spending Review in November 2020. This includes £95 million funding for a new level 3 adult offer which includes over 400 technical and vocational courses available from 1 April 2021 and £43 million for Skills Bootcamps, as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee.Previously, only adults between the ages of 19 to 23 were eligible for full funding for their first full level 3, which is equivalent to an advanced technical certificate or diploma, or two full A levels. From April 2021, any adult aged 24 and over who is looking to achieve their first full level 3 is now able to access a fully funded course which will give them new skills and greater prospects in the labour marketWe have also introduced Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. Skills Bootcamps have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults and employers. Skills Bootcamps are open to all adults aged 19 or over, who are either in work or recently unemployed.

Students: Loans

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 22 March (HL14145), what plans they have to assess the annual cost of removing interest payments from the student loans of (1) health, and (2) social care, workers.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: There are no current plans to assess the annual cost of removing interest payments from the student loans of health or social care workers.The student loans system is designed to protect borrowers, including those who are employed in health and social care. Repayments are made based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed. Only those who earn above the repayment threshold are required to make repayments. The repayment threshold is £27,295 per year from April 2021, or its monthly or weekly equivalent. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off after 30 years with no detriment to the borrower.The vast majority of students who do not fully pay back their loans (an estimated 75% of Plan 2 loans given out in the 2019/20 academic year) would see no reduction in their lifetime repayments, because this part of their borrowing is already written off: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2019-20.Our income-based repayment system means that those who benefit the most from their education repay their fair share. The repayment system also helps to ensure that costs are split fairly between borrowers and the taxpayer. In total, the government subsidises around 50% of the overall cost of higher education, making a conscious investment in the skills and people of this country.

National Tutoring Programme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to expand the capacity of the National Tutoring Programme.

Baroness Berridge: In summer 2020, as part of the initial £1 billion COVID-19 catch-up package, we announced the £350 million National Tutoring Programme (NTP) to help tackle the impact of lost teaching time. As schools continue to face unprecedented challenges, the NTP has been designed to help ease the burden on teachers and school leaders and support them in helping those pupils who have missed out the most.To date, since its launch in November 2020, over 155,000 pupils and 4,000 schools have enrolled for tuition support with the NTP Tuition Partners. Over 20,000 tutors are now supporting pupils across England and our aim is to provide tuition to over 250,000 pupils this academic year. This is in addition to placing over 1,000 Academic Mentors in our most disadvantaged schools to provide tuition to pupils that need the most help to catch-up.The NTP ensures that additional support has been allocated to regions with the largest numbers of disadvantaged pupils, and in regions where access to tutoring has historically been lower. The Tuition Partners offer a good blend of national and regional providers, which can offer support to schools across all regions in England.We are extending the programme further to provide tuition in the next academic year. This will help us continue to deliver high quality tutoring, which will benefit even more disadvantaged pupils. In February 2021, the government announced a further allocation of £83 million to assist in expanding the 2021/22 programme. The new funding enables the NTP to reach hundreds of thousands more disadvantaged pupils in the next academic year. We are currently undertaking a procurement process for a delivery partner for next year’s programme.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Mozambique: Democratic Republic of Congo

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) security situation in Mozambique, and (2) the statement by Save The Children, published on 16 March, highlighting atrocities that have occurred in the Cabo Delgado province, including the beheading of children; and what steps they are taking with international partners to prevent Islamic State from gaining influence in (a) Mozambique, and (b) the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in northern Mozambique, and the increasing attacks by groups with links to Islamist extremism. As the Minister for Africa set out publicly on 17 March, we are appalled by reports of beheadings of children in the Cabo Delgado province. We have been particularly concerned by recent attacks in Palma, which we utterly condemn, and are in close contact with the local authorities in Cabo Delgado. We regularly engage with our international partners, including the US, France, Portugal and South Africa, to discuss a shared approach to the situation in Cabo Delgado.We are working with the Governments of Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to address the root drivers of conflict and instability. In Mozambique we are providing targeted assistance under the framework of a Defence Memorandum of Understanding and £19m of humanitarian and development support to support those displaced by the conflict. In DRC we are contributing to the UN Peacekeeping Mission MONUSCO (£52m in 2020/21 and the provision of three military staff officers), while our seven-year peace and stability programme is supporting local-level peace building initiatives and helping communities to secure land access, construct critical infrastructure and access income-generation opportunities in the east. We continue to urge the UN and the DRC Government to work closely together to protect civilians from ongoing violence and address the root causes of conflict. The Minister for Africa discussed the importance of addressing these issues with President Tshisekedi during his visit to DRC in November last year and during a telephone call on 10 March.

Pakistan: Capital Punishment

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about (1) the death sentence imposed on Sajjad Masih Gill, and (2) the use of the death sentence in Pakistan; and what response they have received (a) on this case, and (b) on the use of the death sentence.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is the UK's longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We are concerned about the case of Sajjad Masih Gill, who was sentenced to death in March 2021, after being convicted for blasphemy.We do not comment on our handling of individual cases but regularly raise our concerns about blasphemy laws at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. On 23 March, I discussed Freedom of Religion or Belief with Pakistan's Special Representative for Religious Harmony, Tahir Ashrafi. On 20 February, I also raised our concerns about the protection of minority religious communities, including the use of blasphemy laws, with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari.

Lebanon: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that the Prime Minister-designate of Lebanon and the President of Lebanon are yet to agree on the formation of the government of Lebanon’s cabinet, and (2) the political situation in Lebanon

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: This government continues to urge Lebanon's leaders to urgently form a government willing to implement the reforms needed to stabilise the economy and meet the basic needs of its citizens. The UK stands in support of the Lebanese people.

Libya: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to show support for the new National Unity-led government of Libya; and what discussions the Prime Minister has had with the interim Prime Minister of Libya.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK welcomes the inauguration of the interim Government of National Unity in Libya, charged with leading the country to elections. This is an important step towards the unification of Libyan institutions and a comprehensive political solution that ultimately makes Libya more stable, secure and prosperous. On 12 Feb, the Prime Minister spoke to then Prime Minister designate Dabaiba to express UK support for the new government. The UK is working with international partners, including through the UN Security Council and the Berlin Process, to support the interim Government of National Unity to hold national elections in December 2021, improve the delivery of services to the Libyan people, and prioritise implementation of the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries.

North Korea: Guided Weapons

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the recent ballistic missile tests conducted by North Korea in the Sea of Japan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned by the launch on 25 March of two short range ballistic missiles by North Korea in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The Minister for Asia made clear our deep concern in a statement that day and called on North Korea to refrain from further provocations and to engage in meaningful negotiations with the United States. The UK joined other members of the UN Security Council in requesting that the Council address North Korea's latest actions at its meeting on 30 March. We remain committed to securing peace on the Korean peninsula, working closely with allies and partners in upholding the rules-based international system and securing an end to North Korea's illegal activities.

North Korea: Humanitarian Situation

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in North Korea.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is concerned that humanitarian needs may be growing in North Korea. According to UN figures, 40% of North Korea's population were food insecure in 2019. We assess that North Korea's own restrictions at the border have prevented aid shipments from entering the country since January 2020, and that natural disasters last year may have reduced harvest yields. Restrictions on internal movement, including for UN agencies and NGOs, have also severely impacted the distribution of aid and support, and resulted in the departure of most of the international community. Without an international presence able to access affected areas, it is not possible to arrive at a full assessment. We encourage North Korea to allow entry for humanitarian workers to carry out an independent assessment of humanitarian needs, and to allow aid to flow freely into the country. We fully support the delivery of humanitarian support to the most vulnerable in North Korean society and continue to urge North Korea to concentrate on improving the lives of its most vulnerable people rather than developing its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Poland: Deforestation

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-441/17 Commission v Poland (Białowieża Forest) in April 2018, what representations theyhave made to the government of Poland about deforestation in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: HMG are monitoring the management of the Bialowieza forest and acknowledge the statement by Poland's National State Forest on 15 March concerning Poland's implementation of the 2018 judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union. We will continue to work with Poland, building on the successes of COP24 held in Katowice, while we look ahead to a successful COP26 in Glasgow later this year.

Nagorno-Karabakh: Cultural Heritage

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Armenian cultural heritage, including churches and monuments, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region has been destroyed by Azerbaijan during the dispute over that territory.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan about reports of the (1) destruction of an Armenian church, and (2) destruction of cultural heritage, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas has emphasised the importance of protecting all cultural heritage sites to both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Governments, most recently during her visits to the region in February. The UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan has also raised this issue with representatives of the Azerbaijani Government. The protection of cultural heritage affected by conflict and the prevention of acts of destruction remains a priority for this Government. We continue to underline our support for the efforts of UNESCO in this regard, and for the Co-Chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group in their work to facilitate a lasting peaceful settlement to the conflict.

LGBT People: Gay Conversion Therapy

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the Global Interfaith Commission on LGBT+ Lives following that organisation's declaration against conversion therapy of December 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government funded the Global Interfaith Commission's (GiC) launch on 16 December where it delivered a declaration calling for an end to violence and criminalisation against LGBT+ people and for a global ban on conversion therapy. We remain in regular dialogue with the Director of the GiC.

Ethiopia: Humanitarian Situation

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the remarks made by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia on 23 March that “reports indicate that atrocities have been committed in Tigray region”, and (2) the humanitarian situation in northern Ethiopia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We welcome Prime Minister Abiy's statement on 23 March that the perpetrators of human rights atrocities in Ethiopia's Tigray region should face justice - whoever they are. We need to see action now to stop further atrocities and to allow for the independent investigation of those that have occurred. Since the conflict started, the UK has consistently called for an end to fighting, and for all parties to the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians.The UK has also been consistent in calling for free and unfettered humanitarian access to the 4.5 million people in Tigray in need. The Foreign Secretary raised the need for humanitarian access to Tigray with Prime Minister Abiy during his visit to Ethiopia and pressed for a political dialogue to bring lasting peace to the region. The Minister for Africa re-enforced the urgency of the need for humanitarian access when he spoke with the Ethiopian Ambassador on 24 February. The presence of Eritrean troops in Tigray is one the main barriers to humanitarian access and they should leave Ethiopia immediately. Humanitarian providers must be protected to ensure they can help those in need. UK-funded aid agencies in Tigray are delivering support in challenging circumstances, including food, shelter, water and healthcare. A joint humanitarian and political team from the British Embassy in Addis Ababa visited Mekelle on 5 March. They heard harrowing accounts of human rights violations, the challenges of aid delivery and how some of the £15.4m of UK Aid is helping to support those affected by the Tigray conflict. The Government of Ethiopia must act now to protect its people.

China: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make at the UN Human Rights Council regarding allegedviolations of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the government of China, in connection with restrictions on (1) BBC broadcasts, (2) media freedom, and (3) freedom of speech, in (a) China, and (b) Hong Kong.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK continues to take a leading international role in holding China to account for its human rights violations, including by leading the first statement at the UN Human Rights Council on Xinjiang and Hong Kong. On 22 February, the Foreign Secretary delivered a ministerial statement at the Human Rights Council where he expressed our deep concerns about the situation in Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong. We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to allow journalists to practice their profession without fear or arrest, harassment or reprisal, and to end extensive censorship and control over the media and wider freedom of expression. In Hong Kong, rights and freedoms, including the right to freedom of speech, are expressly guaranteed in the Joint Declaration, and must be upheld.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Plastics: Recycling

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress towards (1) increasing recycling and reducing waste, (2) increasing recycling of plastic waste, and (3) reducing plastic waste.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government is committed to increasing recycling rates and reducing waste, including plastics.Our 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy outlines our commitments to:eliminate avoidable waste by 2050;achieve 65% recycling rate for municipal (household-like) waste by 2035;work towards all plastic packaging placed on the market being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025;eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.To help us achieve this target, we have introduced legislation through the Environment Bill that will require local authorities in England to collect a core set of recyclable materials, including plastics, from households and businesses. By making recycling clearer and easier, we will better preserve material value and help to grow demand for recyclables. We are also seeking a new power in the Environment Bill to be able to place charges on other single-use plastic items to encourage businesses and citizens to shift toward more reusable products.Together with the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and the HM Treasury's Plastic Packaging Tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content, these reforms will increase demand for secondary material plastic and therefore increase investment in recycling infrastructure. We have recently published consultations on introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, and will be consulting on introducing consistency in household and business recycling shortly.We have made significant progress so far to reduce plastic waste, by introducing one of the world's toughest bans on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, and significantly reducing the sales of single-use carrier bags by the main supermarket retailers by 95% with our 5p charge. We are extending the charge to all retailers and increasing the charge to at least 10p in Spring 2021. We also introduced a restriction on the supply of plastic straws, cotton buds and stirrers from the 1st October and we are currently assessing whether there are additional items for which a ban would be a suitable and proportionate measure.More generally, on 18 March we launched a 12 week consultation on a new 'Waste Prevention Programme for England: Towards a Resource Efficient Economy' (attached). This builds on the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy and seeks to agree a programme which helps with our strategic goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving Net Zero, protecting our natural capital, addressing our resource security, and creating jobs and growth, as well as increasing our resource productivity and minimising waste. The consultation document outlines the potential for, and benefits of, action on waste prevention. It recognises that action is required across society - by Government, businesses, local authorities, consumers and others - for progress to be made.Waste Prevention Programme for England (pdf, 935.3KB)

Litter

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress towards (1) reducing litter, and (2) reducing litter in (a) the countryside, and (b) on the seashore.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, setting out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. Annual reports of progress with delivery of the Litter Strategy can be found at gov.uk. We have also published a “litter dashboard” which explains the Government’s approach to understanding the extent of litter and littering in England. The dashboard is available at gov.uk. The latest Litter Strategy annual report and litter dashboard have been delayed due the COVID-19 pandemic. Our latest study of litter composition in the UK, carried out by Keep Britain Tidy, is attached. There has been an increase in number of visitors accessing the countryside since lockdown restrictions were first introduced last year. We know that people’s health, wellbeing and resilience can be improved and strengthened by spending time in the natural environment. We are clear, however, that everyone should follow the recently updated Countryside Code, which is available on gov.uk. A key part of government strategy is to get clear and consistent messages to the media, which highlight the problem and promote better behaviour in the countryside and encourage a partnership response. In response to COVID-19, Defra has developed a ‘Respect the Outdoors’ campaign to encourage people to follow the Countryside Code and to highlight the impacts of littering. We also supported, and provided funding for, Keep Britain Tidy’s Love Parks campaign, which encouraged people to treat our parks with respect. Preliminary evaluation of these campaigns indicates that they had a positive influence on the target audience’s intended disposal of PPE litter, with anecdotal reports from local authorities that the intervention resulted in a markedly beneficial outcome. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing the marine environment today with plastic pollution found on coastlines accounting for 5% of the plastic that litters the ocean, according to EUNOMIA. Defra funds the Marine Conservation Society to record litter from sections of our coast which helps us to monitor the levels and trends of plastic pollution across several years. As the majority of ocean plastic pollution originates on land our efforts have focussed on preventing plastic entering the ocean in the first place.Litter Composition Analysis (pdf, 2489.9KB)

Plastics

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban oxo-degradable plastics.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government recognises that some innovative new packaging types, like biodegradables plastics, could help reduce the environmental impact of plastic, when used in niche applications and if disposed of in the right way. However, the Government is concerned that, in the absence of robust standards, claims about the biodegradability of plastic-based products cannot be verified. The Government published a call for evidence in July 2019 to help consider the development of standards or certification criteria for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics, as well as to better understand their effects on the environment and our current waste system. The Government response was published on the 8th April which can be found on gov.uk. Following consideration of the submissions we received the Government is minded to introduce a ban on oxo-degradable plastics, subject to further evidence and a public consultation.

Waste: Coronavirus

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of waste associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has not been collecting data specifically on covid-related waste – waste classifications are determined by content rather than context. These figures are published on a regular basis. We have been working closely with the local authorities and the waste industry to monitor the impact of the pandemic on their services. We have run a regular survey on the impacts of COVID-19 on local authority waste operations, including on levels of waste, the output of which can be found at www.adeptnet.org.uk. We also collected informal data through industry discussions and internal surveys across a range of areas such as waste arisings and throughputs.

Chemicals: EU Law

Lord Hannan of Kingsclere: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost of applying the EU’s REACH Regulation(1907/2006); and what assessment they made, if any, of that cost compared to the risk-based regime that predated REACH.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In 2006, Defra produced a Partial Impact Assessment ahead of the implementation of EU REACH [please see attached]. It forecasts the cost to UK industry of implementing EU REACH to be £404m. The costs associated with supporting HSE in its role as the UK competent authority under EU REACH since it came into force are estimated at around £15m. A comparative assessment of these costs and the regime that predated EU REACH, is not available. In 2018, the European Commission published an evaluation of EU REACH. It found that costs to industry for the first two registration deadlines amounted to €2.3- 2.6 billion. Dossier evaluation costs were estimated at €200 million. Restriction costs were estimated at €170 million per year.HL14636 Attachment (pdf, 754.7KB)

Animal Welfare

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to provide for animal sentience in law; and if so, whether the definition of animals in that law (1) will be the same as that for vertebrates in theAnimal Welfare Act 2006, and (2) will include decapods and cephalopods.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: This Government has a manifesto commitment to introduce new laws on animal sentience, which we will do as soon as parliamentary time allows.The current science is clear that vertebrates can experience pain and suffering. It is on that basis that the definition of "animal" in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 is limited only to vertebrates. Defra has commissioned an independent external review of the available scientific evidence on sentience in decapods and cephalopods. This review is expected to report shortly.

Airports and Ports: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funds have been paid to date to the Northern Ireland Executive for the creation of infrastructure at (1) ports, and (2) airports in Northern Ireland, as a result of the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: A total of £16 million was allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive in the 20/21 financial year for infrastructure, IT systems and personnel for the work necessary to carry out Sanitary and Phytosanitary checks at Northern Ireland’s Points of Entry required by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Animal Welfare

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to recognise animal sentience in law.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: This Government has a manifesto commitment to introduce new laws on animal sentience, which we will do as soon as parliamentary time allows. We can be rightly proud that the UK already has world-class animal welfare standards, but the Government is committed to strengthening these further, including increasing maximum sentences for animal cruelty, banning third party sales of puppies, and introducing one of the world's toughest bans on ivory sales.

Animal Products: UK Trade with EU

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to negotiate a sanitary and phytosanitary trade agreement with the EU.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement puts in place a framework that allows the UK and the EU to take informed decisions to reduce their respective SPS controls, with a commitment to avoid unnecessary barriers. It is in both Parties’ interests to use this framework to reduce the rate of SPS checks required. We are open to discussion with the EU on an agreement that goes further in reducing trade frictions between us, but it cannot be on the basis of alignment with EU rules as this would compromise UK sovereignty over our own laws

Home Office

Police: Urban Areas

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the (1) cost, and (2) practicability, of establishing a police presence at sites in towns and cities that do not have police stations; and if so, what consideration they have given to such sites beingstaffed by volunteers, communicating with the nearest full police station as required.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: On the 4th February 2021, the Government published a total police funding settlement of up to £15.8 billion in 2021/22, an increase of up to £636 million compared to 2020/21. Overall police funding available to PCCs will increase by up to £703 million (5.4% in cash terms) next year.Decisions about the allocation of police resources and deployment of officers are for Chief Constables and democratically accountable PCCs. They are responsible for ensuring the needs of the local community are met.

Immigration: Roma

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist members of the Roma communityto applyfor settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme before 30 June; and what assessment they have made of the barriers (1) to obtaining the required documentation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2)toaccessing, and completing, online applications,experienced by that community.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office has provided £17million in grant funding to a network of 72 organisations which provide bespoke support to vulnerable and hard to reach EU citizens and their family members eligible to apply to EUSS, including members of the Roma Community.Of the 72 Grant-funded Organisations (GFOs), 54 support members of the Roma community to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, with 5 organisations primarily focused on working with vulnerable members of this cohort (Clifton Learning Partnership, Tros Gynnal, STEP Northern Ireland, Tower Hamlets Law Centre, and Positive Action in Housing).On top of the £17million in grant funding, the Home Office recently announced a further £4.5million of funding to the current 72 organisations to continue these support services well beyond the 30 June 2021 deadline.Whilst the GFN directly funds 72 organisations, these organisations have expanded their network across the UK by forming partnerships with other organisations. These partners are similar, they are on the ground, giving direct support to the vulnerable including homeless/rough sleepers, victims of domestic violence and members of the Roma community.This network is also supported by the Home Office through an online GFO forum called ‘Basecamp’. This platform allows organisations to share ideas, best practise and for organisations to reach out to one another for help and support. It is the innovative ways of working demonstrated by the Grant Funded Network during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have continued to meet the needs of vulnerable individuals for completing online applications or accessing digital status, such as virtual face to face meetings and, were necessary, face to face appointments with use of lateral flow testing, enabling them to do so in a safe way for both themselves and these vulnerable individuals.The EU Settlement Resolution Centre, will also continue to provide over the phone digital assistance to applicants who require support to access their digital status.

Cabinet Office

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of consent granted by representatives of the people of Northern Ireland for the implementation of a regulatory border in the Irish Sea.

Lord Frost: The Protocol is explicit that it rests on the democratic consent of the people and elected representatives across Northern Ireland. All sides need to be sensitive to the social and political realities, including the reality that any arrangements involving Northern Ireland depend on cross-community confidence if they are to work successfully. We are listening carefully to the concerns of the people of Northern Ireland. Our actions are aimed at restoring that confidence and we have urged the EU to do the same.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for enabling individuals to show proof of having been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Lord True: As set out in the ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021,’ published on 22 February, the Government will review whether COVID-status certification could play a role in reopening our economy, reducing restrictions on social contact and improving safety. The Government will set out its conclusions ahead of Step 4 of the roadmap, which will happen no earlier than 21 June.The Government has published the Terms of Reference for the review.

Cabinet Office: Research

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost of literature reviews commissioned by the Cabinet Office.

Lord True: This information is not held centrally.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of provisions in recent roll-over trade agreements that grant trading surpluses to partner countries rather than for UK exports; and what assessment they have made of the benefits to date of the UK's departure from the EU.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The United Kingdom has sought to reproduce the effects of trading agreements that previously applied, to ensure continuity for British businesses. The Department has published parliamentary reports for all such partner countries containing explanations of any changes or significant differences between these bilateral agreements and the previous EU trade agreements (e.g. gov.uk/government/publications/continuing-the-uks-trade-relationship-with-canada-parliamentary-report). The United Kingdom’s departure from the EU presents opportunities for us to do things differently and better. HM Government has already acted in a number of areas, for example, establishing the new ‘Points Based System’ on migration and replacing the Common Agricultural Policy. The United Kingdom can capitalise on new regulatory and policy freedoms, and the ability to find new ways to drive growth internationally, enabling us to deliver on the priorities of the British people.